The young god of Love points to the minute with his arrow while holding a blazing torch to the celestial globe that contains between its hemispheres two revolving rings, one with the minutes (5-10) and the other with the hours (I-XII). Chronos, or Father Time, sits dejectedly at the right. The figures, modeled by Augustin Pajou (1730–1809), are taken from a more complex design for a clock made by the royal sculptor in 1775 for the prince de Condé and were probably cast by Étienne Martincourt (recorded 1762–1800). The subject of the relief on the pedestal is a sacrifice to Eros.

The workshop of the Lepaute family consisted at this period of Jean-Baptiste (1727–1802, horologer du roi in 1775); Pierre, called Henry-Lepaute (1749–1806); and Pierre-Bazile, called Sully-Lepaute (1750–1843).